PayPal Fees in Australia (2026): The Real AUD Cost

By the Profitvana Editorial Team · Updated August 2026

PayPal Australia's headline rate is 2.90% + A$0.30 per domestic sale — but international payments add 1%, currency conversion adds 3–4%, and GST applies to every fee. Here is what an Australian seller or freelancer actually pays in 2026, with the math.

Domestic sales: 2.90% + A$0.30

When an Australian buyer pays an Australian seller, PayPal charges 2.90% of the amount plus A$0.30. On an A$100 sale that is A$3.20, so A$96.80 lands in your balance.

Compare that with Stripe Australia's 1.75% + A$0.30 for domestic cards — A$2.05 on the same sale. PayPal's premium buys buyer familiarity and one-click checkout; whether that is worth ~A$1.15 per A$100 depends on your audience.

International payments: +1.00%

Payments from buyers outside Australia add 1.00 percentage point, taking the rate to 3.90% + A$0.30. On an A$200 sale to a US buyer, the fee is A$8.10 instead of A$6.10.

That is before currency conversion — the surcharge applies even if the buyer pays in AUD.

Currency conversion: the 3–4% quiet fee

If the payment arrives in USD, GBP, or any non-AUD currency and PayPal converts it, the conversion spread is 3.0% — rising to 4.0% in some cases (such as delayed refunds). On international work this is routinely the single largest cost, bigger than the transaction fee itself.

Fixes: invoice in AUD so the buyer's side converts, or hold the foreign balance and spend it without converting. For regular overseas clients, compare a Wise transfer — typically 0.3–1% instead of 3–4%.

GST applies to PayPal fees

PayPal's fees to Australian business accounts attract 10% GST, added on top of the amounts above. A nominal A$3.20 fee actually costs A$3.52. GST-registered sellers claim it back on their BAS; sellers under the A$75,000 threshold wear it as a real cost.

Micropayments: cheaper under ~A$12

Sellers of low-priced items can ask PayPal to switch to the micropayments rate: 5.00% + A$0.05 domestic (6.00% international). The higher percentage but tiny fixed fee wins on any sale under about A$12 — on an A$5 sale it is A$0.30 instead of A$0.45.

The rate applies account-wide once enabled, so mixed-size sellers should do the math on their average sale first.

What an A$100 sale really costs

Domestic buyer, AUD: A$2.90 + A$0.30 = A$3.20 + GST A$0.32 = A$3.52 total. Net: A$96.48.

US buyer paying in USD: 3.90% + A$0.30 = A$4.20, plus 3% conversion (A$3.00), plus GST — over A$7.90 total on the same A$100. International PayPal income costs more than double domestic.

Frequently asked questions

How much does PayPal charge in Australia?

2.90% + A$0.30 for domestic goods-and-services payments, plus 1.00% for international payments, plus a 3.0–4.0% spread if PayPal converts currency, plus 10% GST on all fees. On a domestic A$100 sale you net about A$96.48 after GST.

Does PayPal Australia charge GST on its fees?

Yes — 10% GST is added to PayPal's fees for Australian business accounts. GST-registered sellers can claim it back on their BAS; unregistered sellers bear it as a real cost.

Is PayPal or Stripe cheaper in Australia?

Stripe is cheaper on domestic cards — 1.75% + A$0.30 versus PayPal's 2.90% + A$0.30, about A$1.15 less per A$100 sale. PayPal's advantage is buyer familiarity and balance-funded payments.

PayPal fees in other countries

PayPal prices every market differently — the same sale can cost twice as much depending on where your business is registered. We verify each of these against PayPal’s own published fee page for that country:

Sources

PayPal Australia — Merchant fees